The Effect of Robot-assisted Transaxillary Thyroidectomy (RATT) on Body Image is Better Than the Conventional Approach with Cervicotomy: a Preliminary Report

Overview

Journal Updates Surg

Specialty General Surgery

Date 2020 May 14

PMID 32399594

Citations 4

Authors

Valeria Matteucci

Dan Bai

Lorenzo Fregoli

Piermarco Papini

Aleksandr Aghababyan

Giovanni Docimo

Paolo Miccoli

Gabriele Materazzi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Cosmetic satisfaction is not only based on the patient's perception of the scar itself but is also related to body image self-evaluation. Cosmetic superiority of Robot-assisted transaxillary thyroidectomy (RATT) over conventional thyroidectomy (CT) has not yet been clearly demonstrated. Aim of our study was to compare body image in patients undergoing CT versus RATT.

Methods: The study included 160 (80 CT and 80 RATT) patients undergoing thyroidectomy between August 2014 and March 2018 at the Endocrine Surgery Department. The inclusion criteria were age 18 to < 60 years, female sex, thyroid volume < 30 mL, and nodule diameter < 5 cm. Scar length, operative time, and complications were analyzed. The body image questionnaire (BIQ) was used 3 months postoperatively. The Student t test was used for statistical analysis.

Results: Age was lower in RATT group (38.2 vs 41.4 years) (P < 0.0001). The nodule diameter was larger in RATT group (27.1 vs 23.1 mm) (P = 0.028). Operative time was longer in RATT group (93.7 vs 47.6 min) (P < 0.0001). The scar was longer in RATT group (59.9 vs 37.7 mm) (P < 0.0001). The groups had similar complication rates. BIQ showed that RATT patients answered more favorably to question 2, "Do you feel the operation has damaged your body?" (P = 0.042) and to question 3, "Do you feel less attractive as a result of your treatment?" (P = 0.024). Also self-global satisfaction was better in RATT group (P = 0.019).

Conclusions: In our experience, RATT has a significantly better impact on body image than the conventional approach.

Citing Articles

A meta-analysis of unilateral axillary approach for robotic surgery compared with open surgery for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

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PMID: 38603661 PMC: 11008900. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298153.

Gasless robot-assisted transaxillary hemithyroidectomy (RATH): learning curve and complications.

Xu P, Fang Q, Mai J, Zhao Z, Cao F, Wu D BMC Surg. 2024; 24(1):78.

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A prospective study comparing the gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy trans-axillary approach to conventional open thyroidectomy: health and quality of life outcomes.

Xu T, Qin X, Zhang Y, Li P, Ran Y, Fan Y Surg Endosc. 2024; 38(4):1995-2009.

PMID: 38396084 DOI: 10.1007/s00464-024-10689-y.

Postsurgical complications after robot-assisted transaxillary thyroidectomy: critical analysis of a large cohort of European patients.

Rossi L, Buoni V, Fregoli L, Papini P, De Palma A, Materazzi G Updates Surg. 2022; 74(2):511-517.

PMID: 35239151 PMC: 8995261. DOI: 10.1007/s13304-022-01244-2.

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